Tag Archives: Raccoons

Kansas 07/11/14 KS Dept of Health & Environment: Media Release – fatal case of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) caused by Naegleria fowleri, a free-living amoeba found in freshwater, in a resident of Johnson County. The investigation indicates there were several potential fresh water exposures in Kansas, so the actual source of the infection cannot be determined. Initial laboratory examination has identified the presence of Naegleria fowleri in a specimen from the patient, and additional laboratory testing by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is pending. This is the second known case of PAM caused by Naegleria fowleri in Kansas. The first case occurred in 2011. Naegleri fowleri can be found in freshwater environments around the world, but infection causing PAM is extremely rare. From 1962 to 2013, there have been 132 cases reported in the United States, with 34 of those cases occurring from 2004 to 2013. Most cases have occurred in southern-tier states. The risk of infection is very low, but increases during the summer months when water temperatures rise and more people participate in water-related activities. The infection typically occurs when the amoeba enters the body through the nose while the person is swimming underwater or diving and travels to the brain.

Author’s Note: Map dated 2012. At that time, Kansas was not known to be an infected state.

Symptoms usually appear about five days after infection, but can range between one and seven days, and include headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, stiff neck, confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, loss of balance and bodily control, seizures, and hallucinations. This infection cannot be spread from person to person or contracted from a properly maintained swimming pool.- For complete media release with precautions see http://www.kdheks.gov/news/web_archives/2014/07112014.htm

Georgia 07/11/14 Glynn County: Residents of St. Simons Island are being cautioned to watch for raccoons behaving strangely after one of 11 that a woman was caring for on the island was found to have rabies, Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering said. The raccoon that tested positive for rabies had been in contact with the others and with pet cats and dogs. Four of the raccoons are still missing and residents are cautioned to be alert for any animals showing signs of rabies including aggression, illness and confusion. Anyone who spots a raccoon showing those symptoms is asked to call the Glynn County police who will assess the animal’s behavior and call the Department of Natural Resources if necessary. Anyone who is in contact with a rabid or potentially rabid raccoon or other animal is asked to call the Glynn County Health Department at (912) 279-2940. – See http://members.jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2014-07-11/story/woman-was-caring-rabid-raccoon-st-simons-island-police-say

Alberta 05/25/14 660news.com: A well-prepared mountain biker is recovering with minor injuries after a grizzly bear attack in Alberta. It happened Saturday night around 9:00 p.m. just outside the town of Jasper. Parks Canada Spokesperson Kim Weir said the cyclist was riding on a trail when he was charged by the bear and knocked off his bike. Fortunately when the biker was face down, there was a can of bear spray on his backpack. “So the bear actually bit into the bear spray, punctured the can, the bear spray was deployed, the bear got it into his mouth and his eyes and so on and left the area,” she said. “The mountain biker had a cell phone so he then called for help.” Weir reminds all trail users in the mountains be make noise, to let wildlife know they are nearby. She added at this time of year, it’s also a good idea to avoid the trails during dawn and dusk as it’s a highly active period for wildlife hunting. – See http://www.660news.com/2014/05/25/grizzly-punctures-bear-spray-can-during-attack-on-biker-and-flees/

Heartland virus:

Lone Star Tick

Oklahoma 05/27/14 newsok.com: The Oklahoma Department of Health has confirmed the state’s first case and death of Heartland virus. The Health Department says a Delaware County resident recently died from complications of the virus. Heartland virus was first identified in Missouri in 2009. The virus is found in the Lone Star tick and is likely spread through tick bites. The Oklahoma case is only the tenth person confirmed with the virus and the second person to die from it. Other cases have occurred in Missouri and Tennessee. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, bruising easily and diarrhea. All of the patients diagnosed with Heartland virus reported spending several hours per day in outside activities or occupations. There is no vaccine or drug to prevent or treat the disease. – See http://newsok.com/oklahoma-heartland-virus-death-confirmed/article/4851400 and http://www.cdc.gov/ncezid/dvbd/heartland/index.html

Lyme Disease:

New Hampshire 05/25/14 fosters.com: According to Alan Eaton, an entomologist with the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, New Hampshire has the highest incidence of Lyme disease in the country. Eaton said this is in part due to high tick populations, but also because so many people live close to or in wooded areas where ticks flourish. Eaton also said the highest incidence of Lyme Disease within the state is found in the Seacoast region. – See http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20140525/GJNEWS_01/140529521/-1/FOSNEWS

Oklahoma 05/22/14 Texas County: by Kyle Fredrickson – A Panhandle man has died as a result of a virus commonly carried by wild rodents, according to the state Health Department. The man, who is only identified as being age 65 or older, was a Texas County resident. The state Health Department said he died of hantavirus pulmonarysyndrome, which has no cure, said Becky Coffman, an epidemiologist with the department. Hantavirus is carried by wild rodents, especially deer mice, found in Oklahoma and southwest portions of the U.S. It’s transmitted to humans by touch or inhalation of virus particles shed by its host through fecal matter, urine and saliva. Data show it is most often contracted when people in rural areas are maintaining buildings with high rodent activity. – See http://newsok.com/oklahoma-panhandle-resident-dies-as-result-of-virus-carried-by-wild-rodents/article/4846191

Rabies:

Raccoon cub.

Ohio 05/28/14 Westchester County: Someone left five well-fed baby raccoons on the doorstep of the Westchester County, N.Y., Health Department on Friday, and the department said that person should call immediately to be assessed for the possibility of rabies. The month-old raccoons were delivered to the department’s office in MountKisco in a cage with bottles of milk, blankets and toys, the department said. “They appear to have been well cared for and nurtured, which means that there was direct contact between these raccoons and the person or people who were caring for them,” said Dr. Sherlita Amler, the county health commissioner. “That’s why it’s important that we talk to the individual or individuals who left them to determine if they may have been potentially exposed to rabies.” Raccoons are among the most-common carriers of rabies, a disease that is fatal if not quickly treated. Department spokeswoman Caren Halbfinger said that the raccoons’ caretaker needs to be asked about any bites or scratches. Officials also want to know whether the raccoons’ mother was sick. – See http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2014/05/26/raccoons-0526-art-gj9sdmjt-1.html

British Columbia 04/23/14 cbc.ca: Hikers in Squamish are reporting unusual and violent confrontations with bobcats around Alice Lake Provincial Park, according to WildSafeBC, a program run by the British Columbia Conservation Foundation. “It’s definitely the first time we’ve heard of numerous encounters of bobcats going for dogs,” said coordinator Meg Toom, in an interview with CBC Radio’s Rick Cluff on The Early Edition. Toom said in the nine years she’s worked in Squamish, bobcat attacks have never been an issue and that typically they eat small rodents and rabbits . . . Reports have been coming in to conservation officers of other violent bobcat encounters, and some dogs have even been left with stitches. “It’s looking like a territorial situation” said Toom. “We have more people coming into the area, more dogs off leash, and as you put more and more people into the trails network you’re going to have more encounters.” Conservation officers have posted signs in the park and have been warning hikers to beware of the animals. It remains unclear if the attacks are being carried out by a single or multiple bobcats. – For complete article, photos and map see http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bobcat-attacks-hiker-s-dogs-near-squamish-b-c-1.2618833?cmp=rss

Plague:

New Mexico 04/26/14 the globaldispatch.com: Health officials have confirmed the first case of human plague of the year in the state and in the United States in a male adult from Torrance County. Confirmatory testing is being conducted and an environmental investigation will take place at the man’s home to look for ongoing risk to others in the surrounding area. Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It is found in animals throughout the world, most commonly rats but other rodents like ground squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, rabbits and voles. Fleas typically serve as the vector of plague. Human cases have been linked to the domestic cats and dogs that brought infected fleas into the house. People can also get infected through direct contact with an infected animal, through inhalation and in the case of pneumonic plague, person to person. Yersinia pestis is treatable with antibiotics if started early enough.

There are three forms of human plague; bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic.

Bubonic plague: This is the most common form. In this form, the bacteria enter the body through the bite of an infected flea or rodent. Here the bacteria infect the lymphatic system. After a few days to week, the person will experience fever, chills, weakness, and swollen lymph glands. These are called buboes. In the U.S., bubonic plague is sporadic, primarily in the West. Typically, there are around 10 cases annually in this country. Untreated bubonic plague is fatal about half the time.

Septicemic plague: This form is also contracted from a flea or rodent bite. Sometimes it appears subsequent to untreated bubonic or pneumonic plague. It involves bloodstream dissemination to all areas of the body. Buboes do not occur. Symptoms are endotoxic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Untreated septicemic plague is nearly always fatal.

Pneumonic plague: Probably the most serious form of plague and it’s when the bacteria infect the lungs and cause pneumonia. It is contracted when the bacteria is inhaled (primary) or develops when bubonic or septicemic plague spreads to the lungs.

New York 04/25/14 Columbia County: Health officials are searching for a person who may be been exposed to rabies by picking up a dead deer from the front yard of a Claverack home on Friday. The owner of the home on County Route 16 in Hollowville had shot and killed the deer Thursday evening after seeing it disoriented, stumbling into trees and a fence. State Department of Environmental Conservation officials were scheduled to pick up the carcass the next morning, but it was already gone. A silver pickup truck was seen around the home at the time the deer disappeared. Health officials are concerned the deer may have been infected with rabies, a neurological disease that is uniformly fatal unless treated, or another serious disease that could threaten anyone who had contact with the animal or ate its meat. Information about the whereabouts of the deer should be brought to the sheriff’s department’s attention at 828-3344. – See http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Officials-Deer-scavenger-may-face-rabies-5430348.php

Rhode Island 04/25/14 Providence County: A cat, believed to be a stray, that attacked a Lincoln resident in the vicinity of Lower Road has tested positive for rabies. Two other individuals were also exposed to the virus and at least two people have started post-exposure rabies treatments. The cat is described as “brown with tiger stripes” and has been seen with three other black, grey and orange tiger-striped cats also believed to be strays. Anyone who may have been in contact with these animals should seek immediate medical advice. – See http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20140425-cat-in-lincoln-tests-positive-for-rabies.ece

Vermont 04/27/14 Chittenden County: A raccoon that attacked a Burlington woman in her driveway on Adams Court without provocation is still at large in the area and is thought to have rabies. The woman was taken to a local hospital where she received 14 stitches to close wounds on her leg, hands and arms. She is being treated for potential exposure to the rabies virus as a precaution. In the meantime, area residents are being cautioned. – For video and complete article see http://www.wcax.com/story/25354079/scary-raccoon-attack-ends-in-emergency-room

Florida 04/13/14 Seminole County: Officials are investigating a black bear attack that occurred in Lake Mary on April 12th around 8 p.m. Firefighters say they were called to a home at 1900 Brackenhurst Place after one of five bears rooting through trash at the residence attacked a woman identified as Terri Franna who was taken to a local hospital for treatment and later released. Wildlife officials say they have since put down four bears that did not appear to be fearful of humans, which is considered dangerous. The director of the state’s bear management programs said bears are looking for food this time of year and, if they can’t find it in your neighborhood, they’ll move on. – See http://www.clickorlando.com/news/woman-attacked-by-bear-in-lake-mary/25453094

Tularemia:

California 04/10/14 San Diego County: Officials have issued a warning to hikers and others who work or play in the great outdoors that a tick taken during routine monitoring in Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, an urban park in San Diego, has tested positive for tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever”. Ticks in the U.S. that can transmit the F. tularensis bacteria include the dog, wood and long star varieties. Deer flies can also transmit the bacteria. Tularemia can be very difficult to diagnose. It is a rare but potentially serious disease. During 2001-2010, a total of 1,208 cases were reported from a total of 47 states, but more than half of the total number of cases were in MO, AR, OK, MA, SD and KS. – See http://poway.patch.com/groups/around-town/p/county-urges-public-to-protect-against-ticks-after-tularemia-find-poway

Iowa 04/09/14 IA Dept of Natural Resources: Media Release – The first case of chronicwasting disease (CWD) in a wild Iowa deer has been confirmed. The deer was reported as harvested in Allamakee County during the first shotgun season in early December. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is currently working to obtain as much information as possible about the infected deer to implement its CWD response plan. “We have been testing for CWD in Iowa’s deer herd for more than a decade and are optimistic, given the extensive data we have collected, that we have caught this early,” said Chuck Gipp, DNR director. “The next step will be to focus our monitoring efforts in the area where the animal was harvested and work closely with local landowners and hunters to gather more information.” said Gipp.

Deer infected with CWD.

CWD is a neurological disease affecting primarily deer and elk. It is caused by an abnormal protein, called a prion that attacks the brains of infected animals, causing them to lose weight, display abnormal behavior and lose bodily functions. Signs include excessive salivation, thirst and urination, loss of appetite, progressive weight loss, listlessness and drooping ears and head. The only reliable test for CWD requires testing of lymph nodes or brain material. There is currently no evidence that humans can contract CWD by eating venison. However, the National Institute of Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hunters do not eat the brain, eyeballs or spinal cord of deer and that hunters wear protective gloves while field dressing game and boning out meat for consumption. Prior to the positive detection in Iowa, CWD had been detected in every bordering state.

Georgia 04/11/14 Hall County: Officials have issued a Rabies Alert for the Persimmon Tree Road area after a raccoon that was in contact with a dog tested positive for the virus. This is the fifth confirmed case of rabies found in the county this year. – See http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/98112/

New Hampshire 04/11/14 Rockingham County: A fox that attacked two children at the Don Ball Park in Derry on April 10th has tested positive for rabies. The animal knocked a boy down, and then bit a 5-year-old girl after she came down a slide. Police and wildlife officials finally cornered the animal in nearby woods and killed it, but in the interim the fox also attacked a porcupine and dog. – See http://www.wmur.com/news/fox-that-attacked-children-tests-positive-for-rabies/25438202

New Jersey 04/11/14 Monmouth County: Health officials have issued a Rabies Alert for the Middletown area after two raccoons tested positive for the virus this week. The first was found in the vicinity of Michael Drive off Nutswamp Road, and the second was found in the vicinity of Essex Street and Bray Avenue in the northern section of the township. – See http://www.ahherald.com/newsbrief/local-news/17351-rabies-alert-in-middletown

Minnesota 04/04/14 medpagetoday.com: by Michael Smith – A man is in stable condition in a Minnesota hospital with Lassa fever after returning from a trip to West Africa, where an outbreak of Ebola virus is now raging. The Minnesota Department of Health said the man flew to Minneapolis-St. Paul on March 31 and soon after his arrival visited a physician. Because of his travel history and symptoms, the doctor suspected a possible hemorrhagic fever. The man was admitted to the hospital with fever and confusion and CDC testing confirmed a diagnosis of Lassa fever on April 3, the department and the CDC said in separate statements. “This imported case is a reminder that we are all connected by international travel,” CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD, said in a statement. “A disease anywhere can appear anywhere else in the world withinhours.”

Air routes connecting to and from Africa.

Lassa fever is rarely seen in the U.S., with only seven cases recorded, the latest in 2010, according to the CDC. The agency reported that preliminary information suggests the man flew from West Africa to New York City and on to Minneapolis on another flight. The agency did not say where in West Africa the trip started. The CDC is working with public health officials and airlines to identify anyone who might have had close contact with the infected person, although Lassa fever is not easily spread from human to human. “Casual contact is not a risk factor for getting Lassa fever,” said Barbara Knust, DVM, a CDC epidemiologist in the lab that tested the patient’s blood for Lassa virus. “People will not get this infection just because they were on the same airplane or in the same airport,” she said in a statement.

Utah 04/04/14 kcsg.com: The Southwest Utah Public Health Department (SWUPHD) has confirmed a case of hantavirus infection in Kane County. Hantavirus incidences are rare in the five-county region, with the last case being reported four years ago in Iron County. The virus is found in the droppings, urine, and saliva of rodents, usually deer-mice. “This time of year, a lot of people start spring cleaning in places where rodent droppings are found; such as sheds, barns, and cabins,” says Dr. David Blodgett, SWUPHD Health Officer. “If hantavirus is present, it can be inhaled and cause respiratory illness within a few weeks.” Hantavirus infection, called Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, starts with flu-like symptoms followed by difficulty breathing and can be life-threatening. Treatment includes intensive hospital care to deal with the respiratory distress. Hantavirus is not known to spread person-to-person. – For complete article and precautions see http://www.kcsg.com/view/full_story/24877415/article-Hantavirus-Infection-in-Southwest-Utah?instance=more_local_news1

Follow-Up Report:

Wolf OR-7:

(See previous posts dated 11/12/11, through 12/13/13)

Oregon 03/29/14 missoulian.com: The wandering wolf dubbed OR-7 has enjoyed well over his 15 minutes of fame. But even with continued public interest, he could soon fade from the spotlight. The Global Positioning System collar that has sent regular electronic pulses to reveal his travels for the past three years has eclipsed its normal life span, and state and federal biologists don’t plan to replace it. “When that collar dies, we’ll never know his fate,” Rob Klavins of the conservation group Oregon Wild told the Mail Tribune newspaper. “But that could be OK. It’s good to have a little mystery in the world.“ The wolf gained celebrity status in 2011 after leaving a pack in northeastern Oregon, days after the state issued a kill order for his father and a sibling for preying on livestock.

Georgia 04/02/14 Hall County: A raccoon that fought with a dog on Bowen Bridge Road in the Clermont area is the fourth wild animal in the county to test positive for rabies so far this year. – See http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=273283

North Carolina 04/04/14 Cleveland County: Eighteen people are being treated for potential exposure to rabies after a Good Samaritan in the town of Lawndale adopted one of two puppies that were abandoned and were wandering along Elam Road. The adopted puppy began acting sickly and when brought to a clinic was diagnosed with and tested positive for the virus. Making matters worse, the other puppy ran away. Officials are warning area residents who might have been in contact with either of the puppies to seek immediate medical attention. – See http://www.wsmv.com/story/25158263/stray-puppies-leave-cleveland-co-neighbors-owing-thousands-of-dollars-in-medical-bills

Missouri and Tennessee 03/27/14 cdc.gov: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in collaboration with health officials in Missouri and Tennessee have identified six new cases of people sick with Heartland virus: five in Missouri and one in Tennessee. The new cases, discovered in 2012 and 2013, are in addition to two discovered in 2009 and are described today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Heartland virus was first reported in two northwestern Missouri farmers who were hospitalized in 2009 with what was thought to be ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne disease. However, the patients failed to improve with treatment and testing failed to confirm ehlrlichiosis. Working with state and local partners, CDC eventually identified the cause of the men’s illness: a previously unknown virus in the phlebovirus family now dubbed Heartland virus.Ongoing investigations have yielded six more cases of Heartland virus disease, bringing to eight the total number of known cases. All of the case-patients were white men over the age of 50. Their symptoms started in May to September and included fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, headache, nausea, or muscle pain. Four of the six new cases were hospitalized. One patient, who suffered from other health conditions, died. It is not known if Heartland virus was the cause of death or how much it contributed to his death. Five of the six new cases reported tick bites in the days or weeks before they fell ill. Nearly all of the newly reported cases were discovered through a study conducted by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and CDC are actively searching for human cases at six Missouri hospitals.

Range of Lone Star Tick. CDC map.

CDC has been working closely with the Missouri and Tennessee state health departments and other federal agencies to advance understanding of Heartland virus disease by learning more about the patients who were infected, their illness and their exposure to ticks. CDC seeks to determine the symptoms and severity of the disease, where it is found, how people are being infected, and how to prevent infections. CDC studies to date have shown Heartland virus is carried by Lone Star ticks, which are primarily found in the southeastern and eastern United States. Additional studies seek to confirm whether ticks can spread the virus to people and to learn what other insects or animals may be involved in the transmission cycle. CDC is also looking for Heartland virus in other parts of the country to understand how widely it may be distributed. – For complete article including precautions see http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2014/p0327-heartland.htmlCoyote/Wolf Hybrid:

South Carolina 03/27/14 greenvilleonline.com: by Charles Sowell – The coyote/wolf hybrid that scares deer hunters throughout South Carolina has been found at the Savannah RiverSite by U.S. Forestry Service personnel doing a fawn mortality rate study, officials said last week. According to Charles Ruth, with the state Department of Natural Resources, fawn mortality at the SRS was found to be 70 percent, much higher than previously thought, and of that higher rate, 80 percent was found to be caused by coyotes. That number, while higher than expected, was not nearly the surprise that a forest service study of coyote DNA that found one coyote/wolf hybrid — a coyote with Canadian grey wolf DNA, said John Kilgo, a research biologist with the forest service. “It was noticeably bigger than even the largest coyote,” he said. “So we took its DNA and a picture. We were stunned when the results came back with Canadian grey wolf in the animal’s background.”“We don’t know how it got here,” Kilgo said. “It may have wandered down from the north, but that is not likely. More likely is that it was imported by fox hunters, or someone else who wants to use the animal for sport and then it escaped.” The hybrid animal comes from female coyotes who bred with male grey wolves in Canada and then crossed the border into the United States, said Ruth. The coyotes are also known to breed with domestic dogs. “We don’t think these animals pose any risk to humans,” said Kilgo. “And we only found one with wolf DNA out of the 500 or so animals tested, so we are treating it as an isolated incident.” – For complete article and photo see http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20140327/ENT/303270050/Coyote-wolf-hybrid-spotted-Savannah-River

New York 03/25/14 lohud.com: by Steve Lieberman – A woman who was attacked and bitten by a coyote while walking her dog in Orangeburg early Tuesday said she “took one for the team” after police shot and killed the possibly rabid animal. Mary Lou Gardner was walking Jasmine, her 18-pound shih tzu, near Greywood Drive about 6:30 a.m. when the coyote began to stalk them. “I saw it walking between two houses and coming at us,” the 52-year-old said. “I didn’t want to let my dog off the leash.” Gardner held her dog tight and threw her coat on the coyote as it approached. “It went after Jasmine (and) I started kicking the coyote, so (it) turned on me and started biting my leg,” she said.
Neighbors heard the attack and rushed outside, yelling and banging on things to distract the animal, which finally retreated into a back yard as Gardner ran to a house with her dog. Orangeburg police arrived a short time later and shot the coyote, which was taken to the Rockland County Medical Examiner’s Office; it will be tested for rabies at a state police laboratory. Gardner, who was given a tetanus shot at the Nyack Hospital emergency room, suffered bites to her left leg and forearm, and was waiting to find out whether she’ll need rabies shots. Her dog was given a rabies shot as a precaution. Noting that the rabies treatment isn’t as severe as it was years ago, she was philosophical about her wildlife encounter. “I’m glad it was me and not someone else,” said the mother of two grown daughters and a son. “I have a lot of elderly neighbors and there are children here. I took one for the team.” – For complete article see http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2014/03/25/orangetown-woman-bitten-coyote-walking-dog/6871461/Chikungunya:Caribbean 03/24/14 umn.edu: The Caribbean now has 15,913 confirmed, probable, or suspected cases of chikungunya, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in an update today, up from 10,476 at the end of February. The outbreak is the first known in the Americas; it began on St. Martin in December 2013. Martinique continues to have the most cases, with 7,630 suspected and 1,141 confirmed or probable cases, the ECDC said. The French side of St. Martin is next, with 2,640 suspected and 782 confirmed or probable cases, but the pace of new cases appears to be slowing there. Guadeloupe has 1,960 suspected and 586 confirmed or probable cases. The next hardest-hit areas are: St. Barthelemy, 420 suspected and 134 confirmed or probable cases; the Dutch side of St. Martin, 115 confirmed cases; Dominica, 392 suspected and 56 confirmed cases; French Guiana, 22 confirmed locally acquired and 10 imported cases; Anguilla, 14 confirmed cases; and Aruba and St. Kitts/Nevis each with 1 confirmed case. The ECDC also reported 3 chikingunya-related deaths on the French side of St. Martin and 2 on Martinique. – See http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2014/03/news-scan-mar-24-2014Lyme Disease:

White-footed mouse.

Tennessee 03/20/14 bizjournals.com: by Michael Sheffield – Memphis-based U.S. Biologic is looking to rabies prevention as inspiration for the launch of its first product. The company, which has developed an oral bait Lyme disease vaccine that is distributed to white-footed mice in fields around the northeast, is taking a similar approach as rabies prevention with the delivery method for its product. According to Mason Kauffman, the company’s president and CEO, a similar method of leaving bait with the vaccine inside in wooded areas for wolves and raccoons was first used 15 years ago to help prevent rabies. The approach was so successful there was one reported case of rabies in 2013, he said. “We want to change it from a danger zone to a treatment zone,” Kauffman said. “If we can be half as successful (as rabies prevention has been) with Lyme disease, we’ve had a huge impact.” . . . . .U.S. Biologic has worked with the University of Memphis to develop intimate mapping of wooded areas, soil types, parks and every demographic of every property in the U.S. “down to the square meter”, Kauffman said, in order to track where mouse and tick populations interact with humans. – See http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2014/03/20/u-s-biologic-moving-forward-with-lyme-disease.html

Typhus:California 03/20/14 go.com: A case of flea-borne typhus was confirmed in Burbank by Los Angeles County Vector Control. The case is the first in Burbank

California 03/20/14 El Dorado County: A Rabies Alert has been issued after officials announced that more skunks have tested positive for the virus in the county than is usual for this time of year. So far, seven rabid skunks have been identified in 2014: two in Pollock Pines, one in Shingle Springs, three in Garden Valley, and one in the Pleasant Valley area. – See http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/20/6255061/el-dorado-county-official-say.htmlCalifornia 03/18/14 El Dorado County: Officials are looking for a dog that bit a South Lake Tahoe man on March 16th in the vicinity of Tahoe Keys Blvd. and Washington Ave. The dog, which was roaming in the neighborhood, is described as a medium-size, husky-type breed with fluffy gray and white fur, and wearing a blue collar and tags. Animals Services officials would like to speak with the dog’s owner to verify that the dog is current on its rabies vaccinations so that the man does not have to have post-exposure rabies treatments. Anyone with information is asked to call Animal Services at (530) 573-7925. – See http://www.sacbee.com/2014/03/18/6248413/dog-sought-after-biting-incident.htmlGeorgia 03/17/14 Habersham County: A raccoon that was in contact with a vaccinated dog on March 11th in the 3900 block of Georgia Highway 197, south of Ivy Mountain Road, between Clarkesville and Batesville, has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=272536Massachusetts 03/18/14 Worcester County: A raccoon that attacked a Holden man in his yard on Towle Drive last week has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.thelandmark.com/news/2014-03-20/Holden_News/Raccoon_that_bit_man_tests_positive_for_rabies.htmlNew Jersey 03/19/14 Atlantic County: A raccoon found on March 14th aggressively scratching at the back door of a home on Malaron Circle in Egg Harbor Township has tested positive for rabies. – See http://www.nbc40.net/story/25020581/second-case-of-rabies-confirmed-in-eht-raccoon

Jerry Genesio

Author of "UNSEEN HAZARDS That Threaten Hunters, Campers, and Hikers: What you should know about pathogens commonly found in wildlife."

This is where wildlife and healthcare professionals, hunters, campers, hikers, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts will find interesting information about natural unseen hazards that place them at risk. As my book focused exclusively on Rabies, Tetanus (Lockjaw), Tularemia (Rabbit Fever), Brucellosis (Undulant Fever), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Borrelia (Lyme Disease), posts regarding these six diseases will be limited to more recent developments and items of interest that were not included or were not available when the book was published in June of 2009. Topics will also include Chronic Wasting Disease, West Nile Virus, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and other diseases of particular interest to those who work and play in the great American outdoors.

Don’t Be Afraid – Be Aware!

The Natural Unseen Hazards blog is available to all free of charge and is maintained as a public service.

If you have questions related to pathogens commonly found in wildlife, e.g. the disease caused by a specific pathogen, hosts, vectors, symptoms, treatment, territorial range, etc., please comment here or e-mail to jerrygenesio@gmail.com and I will attempt to provide answers.

"Chance favors the prepared mind."
Louis Pasteur

Unless otherwise noted, images have been provided by the CDC Public Health Image Library, Wikimedia Commons, the National Park Service or other government agencies, Bing.com, and/or Google.com.

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
Marie Curie

"It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret."
Jackie Joyner Kersee